AR could gamify your commute

Future. A new augmented-reality platform called Pointr can turn your phone screen into an AR-driven map that gamifies getting from point A to B. With its ability to be updated (and deleted) in real-time, it could be used as a next-gen treasure map of exclusive experiences or as a marketing tool for users to collect rewards on their way to a store.

Map Quest
With AR, getting lost in the city could be fun.

• Navigation app Pointr overlays AR elements, such as coins, on a user’s phone screen to act as a digital map.
• It’s especially helpful to navigate around buildings or even within them because Pointr is able to differentiate between different levels.
• It’s able to do this through the installation of internet-connected sensors throughout a space (buildings need to be outfitted to work with Pointr).

Leveling GPS
Pointr’s tech has already been outfitted in an urban district in Singapore, a hospital in Colorado, and Home Depot stores throughout North America (never get lost trying to find a lightbulb again). And one of the largest and most thorough projects it has undertaken is in the West Kowloon District in Hong Kong, where it helps walkers navigate what Pointr founder and CEO Ege Akpinar call “large, confusing spaces.” Akpinar says airports represent a growing customer base.

What makes Pointr much more effective than traditional GPS (which is terrible at dealing with a high density of high-rise buildings) is the fact that Pointr updates with its environment. It can be “updated nearly in real-time, showing where the latest exhibition is on display or where there’s a sale in a department store.” The marketing and entertainment possibilities are endless.